Bringing the Market to You, Hakim Fobia, Agricultural Marketing Service Public Affairs Specialist on September 3, 2010
“Have you ever wanted fresh, local produce but didnt know how to find the nearest farmers market? The USDAs Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) makes it easy with the National Farmers Market search engine, which lists more than 6,100 markets across the nation. Markets can be searched by name, city, zip code, and several other keyword fields. The search engine is a great tool for local growers and sellers, as market managers can provide the public with important information like hours of operations, acceptable forms of payment, or programs supported such as the Women, Infants and Children (WIC) or the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). Consumers can use the tool to become more informed shoppers by searching for locations, product availability and payment options. The USDA believes that farmers markets help increase access to fresh fruits and vegetables and provide economic opportunities for producers of all sizes. In recent years, the number of farmers markets has continued to increase, showing their popularity with consumers and a potential source of economic prosperity for producers. In 2010, the USDA counted 6,132 farmers markets, which was a 16% increase from 2009. The Department has seen a dramatic increase in the number of markets since it first started keeping statistics in 1994 when only 1,755 were registered.”
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